The present invention relates to systems and methods for a mobile network operator (MNO) to dynamically control the usage of memory within a high-capacity subscriber identity module (SIM) card.
Mobile phones are typically installed with a SIM card provided to mobile phone subscribers by the MNO. The SIM card is used to uniquely identify the mobile phone subscriber, with a specific SIM card corresponding to a specific mobile phone number. In addition to the SIM identification function, the SIM card provides the mobile phone with additional services such as memory storage for a limited-size phonebook, memory storage for SMS (i.e. short-message service) messages, and encryption services. The benefit of storing information on the SIM card is that when a subscriber changes devices (i.e. mobile phones), whether in the context of upgrading to a new model or due to a device problem, the SIM card can be transferred from the old device to the new device, making all the information stored in the SIM available on the new device.
Recent developments have further enhanced the SIM card by creating a high-capacity SIM card, which is a SIM card with a large amount of memory storage. Typically, a high-capacity SIM card is capable of storing from 64 MB to 1 GB of data, in comparison to a legacy SIM card capable of storing from 64 KB to 256 KB of data. An example of such a product is the MegaSIM™ card available from msystems Ltd., Kefar Saba, Israel.
The cost of a high-capacity SIM card is higher than the cost of a legacy SIM card, and depends on the amount of memory provided within the high-capacity SIM card. A high-capacity SIM card is typically offered as an alternative component to a mobile phone with a legacy SIM card and a separate memory card slot.
In many cases, an MNO subsidizes the cost of the mobile phone that is delivered to customers, and recovers this cost by selling mobile network services. If the MNO provides a high-capacity SIM card to clients, the additional cost may also be offset in a similar manner. However, current state-of-the-art technology does not enable an MNO to control the usage of the memory storage area of a high-capacity SIM card.
The control of a memory card by a SIM card is disclosed in Agami and Mardiks, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/636,540 filed Dec. 11, 2006, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. While serving some of the purposes of the present invention, the invention of the cited application fails to cover the situation in which the memory card is an integrated part of the SIM card. The prior-art patent application cited describes a system comprising a regular SIM card and a memory card. In such a system, the host device is required to be an intermediary, since there is no direct connection between the SIM card and the memory card. That is, the prior-art application cited above does not offer a stand-alone solution for segmented allocation of memory-storage partitions, independent of the host device software. The present invention relates to a device in which there is a direct connection between the SIM-card function and the storage device.
It would be desirable for an MNO to have means for remotely controlling the usage of memory on a high-capacity SIM card by a user, independent of the host device software.